by staff

Halloween weekend is upon us, and there’s no lack of spooky, creepy and divinely dark things to do this weekend. Craft your itinerary with offerings ranging from haunted basements and Victorian ghost stories, to a local darkwave band’s record release show and an artist-designed pumpkin installation. While you’re at it, catch up on your reading: here’s a smattering of what our staff columnists were up to this week:

Juleana Enright talks to local creatives — including Jeremy Messersmith, Jesse Draxler and Emily Utne — about the darker side of their craft in her Culturator column. BONUS: it also includes a new darkwave mix by The Nightstalker crafted exclusively for l’étoile!

Fusing local artists’ combined ingenuity and talent with Public Functionary’s knack for pushing the envelope and rethinking possibility, Public Functionary’s Halloween party-meets-art installation fundraiser “Great Pumpkin” should be truly bedazzling and inspiring. It’ll be perhaps the most spectacular, artist-carved jack-o-lantern installation you’ll ever see, and it’s come to life thanks to local supporters — all of which commissioned local artists to create the jack-o-lanterns for $25 a pop. The proceeds from jack-o-lantern commissions will go towards funding future Public Functionary exhibitions and programs — win. Plus, you’ll also get an opportunity to experience a Halloween display like no other, outside of a Tim Burton film — double win! -Juleana Enright/Staff

How do two of the Twin Cities’ most serious culinary establishments celebrate Halloween? Well in characteristically intense fashion the Bachelor Farmer and Marvel Bar will transform themselves for one night only into something unexpected and even irreverent, but of course still showcasing killer food and world class drinks. The Bachelor Farmer will be taking its cue from the fictionally aspirational restaurant Dorsia from Breton Easton Ellis’ iconic ’80s novel American Psycho. We’d say you’re safe to expect oceans of Chardonnay and over the top Nouvelle Cuisine, but there are bound to also be some cheeky surprises in store. Costumes are welcome (shoulder pads please) and amazingly there’s no additional charge for this fete, just make a reservation and soak up the ambiance. Downstairs at Marvel Bar, Pip Hanson and crew will be channeling a different kind of ’80s icon, the swoon worthy bartenders of Tom Cruise vehicle Cocktail. Bottles will be flipped and streams of booze will be poured from absurd heights, so it will be even more of a show that usual behind the bar. For a classy and unexpected Halloween experience that will satisfy both the pop culture geek and the foodie in you Bachelor Farmer is the place to be this Thursday. -Anthony Enright

Witches, goblins, ghouls … theater nerds! That’s right, no one does Halloween like a drama geek, and the best drama geeks in town are uniting at Southern Theater for ten days of skin-crawling creepiness, gallows humor and senseless violence! Featuring more than 40 performances, this year’s Horror Festival offers plenty of opportunities to terrify your friends, loved ones and even your children! Bring the whole family to see The Harty Boys in The Mystery of the Mall of America… of Death, or bring a date to Tainted Love and see just how horrifying love can be. And who doesn’t love a good ol’ murder mystery? The creators of last year’s Harold strike again with The Murderer Did It!. The Festival will close out on Sunday, Oct. 9 with Ferrari McSpeedy’s Spooky town. With a total of nine horrific productions spanning the Festival’s 10 days, you should be able to satisfy all your halloween hopes and dreams (We mean horrific in the best possible way). -Maggie LaMaack/Staff

Journey from Niflheim (ruled by Hel, goddess of the underworld) to Gimle (the high heavens) as you encounter giants, gods and goddesses at American Swedish Institute’s newest Cocktails at the Castle spectacular. ASI will dive into the Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology with music by (aptly named) Strange Names, as well as a DJ set by Into the Void Records. There will be snacks and masks, as well as a silent dance party, a divination room and insights from investigations of the Turnblad Mansion by the Twin Cities Paranormal Society. You can also write your own obituary! Happy Halloween, weirdos. –Maggie LaMaack

You have to give it up to the Smile Network. As much good work as the local nonprofit does, it also manages to throw some of the best parties and benefits in town. And their 1st Annual Masquerade Ball (produced by EventsBash and sponsored by Minneapolis2Night) looks to be yet another smash for them. Taking place in the glamorously cavernous Aria, the event will will feature a live DJ, dancing, a burlesque show and other Halloween surprises throughout the night as well as shop the Smile Network Global Village. In short, a ghoulishly good time for a great charity. – Todd O’Dowd

“Mortal fear is as crucial a thing to our lives as love. It cuts to the core of our being and shows us what we are. Will you step back and cover your eyes? Or will you have the strength to walk to the precipice and look out?” These are the underlying questions, the life lessons that separate the men from the boys, the women from the girls, the sissies from the audacious. Get ready to never see a dark room the same again as the annual terror adventure designed to traumatize, the Haunted Basement, kicks off this weekend. The month-long event enlists director Noah Bremer for a second year, along with a fiercely demented creative team of set designers, makeup designers (Kristen Leigh) & costume designers (lead by Alli Olwell) and even olfactory scientists (engineers of the St. Croix Sensory) to disorient and assault your every sense. Prepare for the gruesome. This year, the event joined forces with the NorthStar Bartender Guild for a Spooky Speakeasy – a pop-up bar with an ominous atmosphere, eerie tunes and scarily good craft cocktails including cocktails from Bittercube’s Nick Kosevich and La Belle Vie’s Johnny Michaels — open opening night, Halloween night and on the weekends. Check out the food trucks for midnight cravings and don’t forget the Haunted Basement offers lights-on, no frights ‘Fraidy Cat’ tours on Sunday mornings for those who embrace their “sissy” label. -Julena Enright

Like a good scare? Willing to let strangers in frightening costumes grab at you? Got $5? Celebrate Halloween the way that it’s meant to be celebrated, in a dilapidated house filled with black lights, emotionally abusive actors and fake blood! Or is it real blood? Is it your blood?! Will there be spiders? Probably. Monsters? Certainly. A tent at the end filled with qualified professionals trained to help you cope with your agonizing case of PTSD? Probably not. The Butcher Shop: House of Gore! is not legally responsible for you being a wuss. -Beth Hammarlund

The Halloween season is in full swing. Thrift stores are packed with frugal costume shoppers and haunted houses have popped up on every corner. One of the spookiest destinations is without a doubt Carry On, the BareBones Puppets 20th Annual Halloween Extravaganza. With five shows to choose from, you’re sure to find a time to fit your busy Halloween schedule. Expect creepy puppets, fire stunts, death-defying stilts, live music from the Brass Messengers and the Poor Nobodys, reanimation, summoning of the dead and general necromancing. Okay, we might have gotten a little carried away there, but not by much! Puppets are freaky, man. -Beth Hammarlund

For many a Halloween, the Ave has been the place to go to gawk at the most outrageous costumes in the Twin Cities, and from what we’ve heard about this year’s party, that’s not about to change. Ian Rans of Drinking with Ian fame is yet again this year’s host, and DJs FooLProoF and MC Cloud of the popular ’90s dance night Forever Young, Espada, Smitty and Roy Freedom will be back to keep you moving and grooving. Do yourself a favor and wear a costume — faux pas doesn’t look good on anyone, and over $1,000 in cash prizes are up for grabs. BONUS: Free crossover to dance nights at the Entry and Record Room. -Staff

When rock returns from the dead, it can be a pretty scary sight. Cobwebs in over-teased hair, maggot-infested guitar strings and do you have any idea what embalming fluid does to a leather jacket? Well, luckily the former rock gods taking the Triple Rock stage tonight aren’t the real deal, instead our fiendish local musicians will be conjuring up the spirits and badassedness of these legends for another epic installment of the T-Rock’s Halloween Tribute Show. Every year the punk bar throws a big bash with cover bands, awesome costume contest prizes and loads to drink. This year’s awesome cover bands include the Bleeding Light featuring Raven Danzing, a Glenn Danzig tribute band, the Sux Pistols (playing Sex Pistols tunes, of course), We Rock (a Ronnie James Dio tribute) and Appetite for Zarccardi, playing songs from the GNR classic Appetite for Destruction. Past costume contests have ranged from the obscurely specific — “Best Representation of a Forgotten ’80s-Era David Bowie Album Cover” to “Cutest Couple,” so put a little effort into your costume and definitely go for the extravagant. Just don’t stab yourself on anyone’s decade-rusty safety pins; the Triple Rock won’t reimburse you for a tetanus shot. -Danielle Morris/Staff

Tikis are often associated with breezy sunshine and the world of Gidget, and not as much with undead. But just take a gander at the made-for-TV horror film Trilogy of Terror (1975) and you’ll be ready for the tiki doll-meets-Chucky vibe that will reign supreme at Psycho Suzi’s come All Hallows’ Eve. Drink from your own take-home Cannibal Head goblet for $10, and receive unlimited drinks — from Mai Tais to craft beer — in said goblet all night for only $3 a pop, plus $3 PuPus and seasonal kitsch will be on offer all evening at the expansive Northeast hangout. Don your finest Halloween frocks and revel in live music from BBGUN and Hunting Club, a costume contest, photo booths, and slasher films galore. -Staff

It has already been a year since Thursday’s headliner, Solid Gold, dropped their highly anticipated dark and dancey LP, Eat Your Young – which did not disappoint. With traces of Gayngs and inflections of Minneapolis Sound, Solid Gold is the embodiment of a truly Minnesotan moment in music: a moody electronic synth-laden sound that pays tribute to Prince’s soulfulness and a Scandinavian minimalism. The question is: can this trio capitalize on this moment the way peers like Poliça have? Outside of Solid Gold, Thursday’s show features an array of talented acts. Grime Dogg will be representing the North West, while resident genre-defying fashion-savvy hip hop artist Allan Kingdom will be bringing the weirdness. Speaking of weird, the oddly sexual glam-rock project of Elliot Kozel, Tickle Torture will be in the mix along with originator of the annual Michael Jackson tribute dance party (one of the best night’s of the year), Mike 2600. So while you are awaiting Solid Gold’s next big move, get down to their infectious brand of synth pop on the dance floor with some fellow movers and shakers. -Lizzy Shramko

Sounding much like crescendo background noise to a horror flick, it’s fitting that Houston-based outsider musician, Jandek, should play on Halloween. Known for his open chord structures and atonal forms of folk and blues music, the elusive Jandek has made quite the enigmatic persona for himself playing live for the first time in ’04 despite emerging as an artist in the late ’70s. While some scoff at his 70+ album accomplishment, calling his songs unlistenable, others laud him for his oeuvre, emotionally dissolute, experimental renditions of folk and blues songs, which have led to a fan base that includes Sonic Youth, Ben Gibbarb, Bright Eyes and Calvin Johnson. Tonight, Jandek takes the stage backed by MN musicians Crystal Myslajek (Brute Heart), Tim Glenn (Data General, Fog) Maja Radovanlija, Nelson Devereaux and Craig Matarrese. -Juleana Enright

Post-Halloween, shake off that candy (or booze) hangover and join Altered Aesthetics in celebrating those loved ones who’ve gone before us. Artists of all media were able to submit works in the style of Día de los Muertos until October 26 for the exhibit, opening this Friday. Guests of the exhibit opening are also encouraged to bring their own items of remembrance for loved ones for the public ofrenda. At 7:30 pm, a short candlelight vigil and speech will help kick off the event and exhibit. Luckily, this opening also coincides with another: Altered Esthetics also kicking off Rock Ink Roll, a collection of comic book art and a celebration of art and rock and roll. Same time, same place, and there will also be refreshments and (of course) live music to accompany the exhibit. Two opening receptions for the price of one? The low, low price of free?! Get to it! -Alicia Neubauer

A double dose of art exploration awaits you at both the Northrup King Building and Casket Arts this weekend. Conveniently located within hopping distance from each other, The annual art events that always coincide are back and brimming with color and creativity. Explore multiple floors at the NKB with over 150 artists on display in their studios. From jewelry designers to mosaic artists to sculptors to painters and everything in between, NKB is a one-stop-shop for established local artists in mass quantity. Casket Arts, on the other hand, may be smaller but it boasts a robust collection of eclectic art makers of many mediums. We are especially excited to see Joel Sisson’s installation, “See Life,” in which he turns his 1200-sqare-foot space into an “underwater” wonderland filled with sharks, sail fish, turtles, seals, sea rays and flying fish made from chicken wire. Hit both buildings and make a night and or day of it! -Staff

Ready to be entertained in ways you never knew existed and at levels that are almost certainly illegal in seventy-seven Minnesota counties (not Ramsey though, so phew!)? That’s right it’s Wits season again and we could not be more excited for another season of the live public radio show that mixes improv, sketch comedy, conversation, music and social media for an intoxicating and heady experience. Friday’s show features actress Aisha Tyler and Grammy-winning musician (and sometime actor) Loudon Wainwright III. There are a few last minutes tickets available to the show so click here to snap up one of your own. -Anthony Enright/Staff

One of the best things to happen to Camp Bar in St. Paul was when it had the realization that they could use part of its massive space as a small cabaret theater. Since then, it has been constantly in use presenting a steady stream of work, particularly in light of its partnership with Actor’s Theater of Minnesota. For their latest production, the company is remounting its acclaimed production of Princess Diana: The Musical; Karen Sokolof Javitch and Elaine Jabenis’s examination into the life of the woman who would end up becoming “The People’s Princess.” Reuniting the original cast and creative team from the initial production this summer (including leads McKayla Marso and Sean Dillon as Diana and Charles), this is a rare chance to see why the production became such a hit. -Todd O’Dowd

If you’re looking for a typical evening at the ballet, then you probably should avoid James Sewell Ballet. Not that they aren’t technically proficient (the company has some of best ballet technique in town), but for the past two decades Sewell, his artistic muse Sally Rousse, and their company have pushed the physical and creative boundaries of what ballet can be; all while developing some of the best dancers in the city. To open their 20th season, JSB and their recently expanded company will perform a miniature retrospective featuring a few memorable pieces from the company’s repertoire. The centerpieces of the night are a timely piece by Lar Lubovitch celebrates Minnesota’s embrace of equal marriage rights and a lively collaboration with composer and violinist Todd Reynolds in a genre- and gravity-defying night that is anything but “typical.” A discussion with the artists will following Sunday’s performance as part of their “Meet the Company: Talk-Back Series.” -Todd O’Dowd

If there was ever music made expressly for a Wes Anderson movie soundtrack, it is the songs of Federico Aubele. The Argentinian singer-songwriter sounds at once completely lost in some kind of idealized 60s, all fluttery eyelashes and miniskirts and bitter tears, and every bit up to date with electronic elements (dance beats, samples) drifting in and out of his dreamy, hypnotic, gorgeous music. It’s never pitch-black, but it’s always a little sad in that wistful way that you love to suffer through. His latest, 5, is quite remarkable — his collab with Melody Gardot is every bit as mysterious and smoky as you’d want and need — give it a listen and pretend you’re in love with an ingenue and spending time on the Riviera in thrall to your emotions. -Jon Hunt

With descriptions as diverse as “hypnagogic abstractionist,” “dancer synth wizard” (Pitchfork) and “dance-pop made sallow and creepy” (New York Times), it’s hard not to want to lump Estonia-born artist Maria Minerva into a nameless electronic pop stockpile (Nite Jewel, Julia Holter, Grimes). But aesthetically-minded and intellectually-driven (to attest, check out her TUMBLR), Minerva doesn’t seem content settling for anything less than out of the ordinary. Citing early industrial pioneers Chris & Cosey and Cabaret Voltaire as musical influences, her “rainbow-coloured nest of creativity” can satisfy both lo-fi pop lovers and edgy, disco-pop aficionados alike. San Francisco-based electronic musician Cherushii opens, with a DJ set from Jim Frick of Wak Lyf. -Juleana Enright

My feelings about My Bloody Valentine are a matter of record (spoiler: I love them). Their latest, mbv, coming after two thousand years of silence, didn’t change the world exactly but was a damn remarkable album, every bit as gorgeous and remarkable as you wanted from ’em and every bit as enduring as Loveless. I’m guessing this tour will feature some of those songs live, at long last, and maybe now that their Chinese Democracy is behind ’em, Kevin Shields will start to move forward again and the band will drag themselves out of the amber they’ve been frozen in for a dog’s age. Their live shows are LOUD — like I think you think you know loud, but I don’t think you realize how loud loud is. This is eardrum-bleeding, brown-note-causing loud, and I cannot even imagine what that will mean in a shed like Roy Wilkins. Nevertheless — go. -Jon Hunt

Apparently a lot of creativity stems from spurned lovers. One example? of Montreal, a band named after Kevin Barnes’ alleged relationship with a Quebecois lady friend. The result of this affair has been the proliferation of some of the most dynamic music out in pop: with 12 albums released, the most recent of which came out this Fall, of Montreal like a modern-day Bowie. An ever-evolving mix of sounds and reference points this Georgian outfit is as much pop as it is psychedelic, Afrobeat or even Krautrock. While some of their attempts at music err on the side of self-pretentious art rock like last year’s Paralytic Stalks, their latest release, Lousy with Sylvianbriar hits that sweet spot between indie pop and avant-garde. On Friday they will be playing the Cedar in support of this release, along with Seattle surf rockers, La Luz. of Montreal always promises a theatrical show so come out ready to be entertained. -Lizzy Shramko

Calling all you Rhinestone Cowboys and Coal Miner’s Daughters: You’ve been looking for a place to rock those studded snakeskin boots and your embroidered polyester suit, and this here’s the spot! This year’s alliterative bash collects past and current members from some of the TC’s most buzzworthy bands — Night Moves, Umami, Buffalo Moon, Gospel Gossip, Pony Trash – into supergroup cover bands to scare up modern interpretations Alice Cooper, Gram Parsons and Bruce Springsteen tunes. This year’s event features performances by some major ’70s icons, with the likes of the Blackberry Brandy Boys playing cosmic country and “featuring the resurrection of Chris Gaines,” according to the Facebook invite; Mauled Glass covering the ghoulish Alice Cooper; Tramps Like Us playing tribute to the Bruce Springsteen and the E St Band, and the new hot cover band in town, Wangs, covering (you guessed it): Wings. You’re sure to hear some AM radio stalwarts, and if you’re lucky, a stray Conway Twitty tune may even sneak in (we love us some “Hello Darlin'”). Between sets the Hot Roxx DJs will be spinning a tempest of twangy tunes to keep your boots a’tapping. -Staff/Danielle Morris

CLAPS’ buzzy, fuzzy, minimalist electronica is the right kind of chilly to perfectly evoke early ’80s touchstones like Human League and Gary Numan, and if you know me at all, you know I think this is a good thing. Singer Patrick Donohoe does all the moves just right — the angular dancing, the cool baritone, the terrific, minor-key melodies hanging over the bloops like a pall. Great damn stuff. Tonight, they celebrate the release of their latest record, Lies/White Lies. We’ve yet to hear it, but based on its lead-off single “White Lies” (hear it for yourself here), you can expect to hear CLAPS’ signature lo-fi minimalism intact. -Jon Hunt/Staff

Living Colour is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Vivid, by playing it from beginning to end at Mill City Nights. Even if you’re not familiar with the band, you probably know Vivid’s opening track, the ’80s classic “Cult of Personality.” But it’ll likely be the lesser known “Glamour Boys,” a takedown of shallow materialistic party boys, that steals this show. Sure, Living Colour’s funk metal is radio-friendly enough that it earned them several Grammies and MTV VMAs in the late ’80s and early ’90s, but don’t forget that these boys cut their teeth at CBGB. These gentlemen are known for their fantastic live shows (they even won a VMA for Best Stage Performance — is that still a thing?), and if they pay any sort of sartorial tribute to the Vivid years, you’ll likely see some seriously amazing outfits. -Beth Hammarlund

The gallery at BMW of Minnetonka, now coined “Concourse Exhibitions,” re-introduces itself with a new name, new branding and an apt display of photographs by one of our favorite lens-masters, Amy Gee. A photographer we’ve happily used on occasion to capture behind the scenes and runway action at local fashion shows, Gee has a way of turning truly candid moments into beautifully composed fine art photography. In Distance/Horizon, Gee takes a queue from the gallery’s environment at BMW to create a body of work that artfully harkens to the open road and that unspoken relationship between a car and its driver. Gee even enlisted local rocker Mark Mallman to lend his vintage 1985 BMW “Betsy” to the project, which you’ll catch subtle glimpses through the windshield or in the background. Aside from laying eyes on some awesome artwork, you’ll also be treated to complimentary libations and delicious treats from Fork in the Road food truck. Not to mention, exploring BMW of Minnetonka (the largest BMW dealership in the country!) is always a thing of beauty in and of itself. -Staff

The weekend Rosalux Gallery presents Interpose, a showcase for contemporary painters Shawn McNulty’s and James Wrayge’s large-scale pieces that explore geometric and organic structures. The artists’ process involves repeating components with a methodical, systemic approach that allows for discovery and deviation in each piece. A strong sense of that process, and the physicality of their method is apparent in the finished work. McNulty unique process involves placing his canvas on the floor and using large joint knives and sometimes painting with his feet using a “shoe palette knife” of his own invention. James Wrayge on the other hand applies numerous layers of oil paint to a canvas until he deems the composition to be complete. Both artists have a keen sense of color, and the use of grey in both their works will be a unifying theme in this exhibition. These artists have long relationships with Rosalux (McNulty is a founding member) so this is bound to be a show with a strong point of view. -Anthony Enright

If you’ve ever been curious about the artistic process behind printmaking, Saturday’s exhibit at Fox Tax is one you ought not miss. Artists Robyn Stoller Awend and Josh Awend showcase the process behind the artist’s working proof, the print sample that the artist evaluates for technical purposes (an item that is often a highly sought after acquisition for print collectors). From concept to frame, the duo’s artistic process will be revealed step by step and will feature new series of letterpress prints and photographs amid installation work. The exhibit is “an example of the artists’ working proof, both conceptual and literal, as it relates to where these artists are in their individual works and where they come together.” Not to mention, openings at Fox Tax are always a rockin’ good time. -Staff

In the pantheon of great ideas, we’re pretty sure this will be up there with electricity, Newton’s laws of motion, and the the invention of internet cat videos. Finally, finally, someone has bridged the gap between lovers of local art and the financial wherewithal it takes to actually purchase said art. Though we here at l’étoile highly recommend you work the purchase of local art into your budget, you can get your feet wet and test out beloved pieces in your own home or place of business with the introduction of the snazzy new Minneapolis Art Lending Library (MALL). MALL will feature a changing selection of contemporary artwork, with a special focus on work from Twin Cities artists. Members of the public are invited to borrow work from the collection, free of charge, for two month periods. The library’s inaugural collection features work from over 40 artists, including printmakers, painters, photographers and sculptors. The founders’ stated aim is to provide exposure for artists, build ongoing support of the arts, and allow all members of the community, regardless of financial standing share the joy of living a more art-filled life. We can’t express enough how much this idea warms our little art-loving hearts. If you’re interested in either lending from or donating to the Library, find more information here. -Anthony Enright

Interacting with a famous or public figure can be tricky. How to approach them, the handshake, what to say, how to plant a kiss on them … Luckily, there are professionals who can help you with the awkwardness of greeting your art idol on a train station platform, because WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE, am I right? Local wordsmith and beard enthusiast Andy Sturdevant will be instructing the best way to greet people of the art-world based on his own experiences, which includes tips like “no eye contact” and “do not wet your lips” in part 1. Sage advice, to be sure. Wear your best “arty” clothing — you can always start with a black turtleneck and weird-ass glasses if you’re unsure (or Google Art Basel) — for you’ll be riding the Light Rail to the airport to put your learnin’ to work in parts 2 and 3. All this is part of Sturdevant’s Potluck Supper With Projects to Follow, a series of projects and performance art across Minneapolis in October and November, put together in conjunction with his new collection of essays, Potluck Supper with Meetings to Follow. Get yourself all cultured this weekend, heathen, from the classiest man our city has to offer. -Alicia Neubauer

Do you like stuff? We bet you do. You know who else likes stuff? Joseph Scrimshaw. You could even say he’s obsessed with stuff. In his OBSESSED series, Scrimshaw riffs on his favorite things, often with a special guest or two. And what a guest star he has this month. For November’s installment of Scrimshaw’s comedy show and podcast, he talks all things Batman, with guests including DC Comics artist Christopher Jones. Expect hardcore comic book nerdery. Celebrate the artists that made (and continue to make) The Dark Knight one of the most complex heroes in comic book history, from co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger to writers Frank Miller and Grant Morrison. Giddily enjoy the dissection of the films from Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton (no Joel Schumacher, please). But most importantly, this month’s OBSESSED is a chance to hear a current DC writer’s perspective on The New 52 so far, especially the fact that–SPOILER ALERT–Grant Morrison killed off Batman’s son Damian, the awesomest tiniest Robin ever! So yeah, there could be a little bit of mourning involved. But the show will likely be a pretty happy event, but hopefully not too happy. Like, gravelly-voiced stoic Batman happy. -Beth Hammarlund

Because of Lou Reed’s death and a long vacation, I’ve been tragically remiss in reviewing records. But please be assured: there are two of them I have loved very much, and both bands responsible are (tragically!) playing at exactly the same time. Firstly: Sun Gods to Gamma Rays are releasing their remarkable The Water, The Wave EP at the KCK. This record is a marvel — the band somehow manages to transform the sorta-tired Minneapolis dreampop aesthetic into something dynamic and mysterious and super-cool and utterly original. A sizable chunk of the credit should go to singer Brianna Kocka, a remarkable vocalist with a hell of a lot of power and control who manages to wring every bit of emotion out of some absolutely gorgeous melodies, and the rest goes to a band who understands light and dark perfectly and has some cool influences — Portishead among ’em. The EP is unbelievably great, and I promise I’ll review it more thoroughly later. Meanwhile, across town, Joey Verskotzi — who performs as simply Verskotzi — is releasing his remarkable record, Lemon Heart. Comparisons to Jeremy Messersmith are fair — he’s that kind of songwriter, a unique and powerful voice with a lot of gentleness and arrangement ideas and a hell of a way with a melody. But comparisons to, say, Todd Rundgren are fair too — he’s that kind of all-encompassing talent, and he manages to update the ’60s chamber pop aesthetic to sound 100% up to date and super damn cool. You will be hearing a hell of a lot from him. My call: flip a coin. Both worthy shows, both worthy of your attendance. -Jon Hunt

For his latest tour, Chaz Bundick, aka Toro Y Moi, has paired up with Vans to design a special edition pair of kicks to promote his lengthy tour. While we haven’t seen a pic of these sneakers, we are sure that they don’t stand up to the complicated compositions of Bundick’s music. His third studio album, Anything in Return was released earlier this year to rave critical reviews, solidifying his status as more than an indie mainstay, but something of a tastemaker. Interestingly enough Bundwick recorded this album in Berkeley after moving out with his genius girlfriend who is getting her PhD in environmental engineering, so apparently he is not the only complicated taste maker in their relationship. Opening is the DJ duo Classixx, whose remixing chops have earned them an international reputation. But tonight these two will be playing their own tunes from their full-length debut, Hanging Gardens. -Lizzy Shramko

Saturday night at the Turf Club celebrates the marriage of one of the cutest couples around, Jon Tester and Katie Peterson. They chose to throw a party for their friends and family at one of their favorite places, the Turf Club. The event is free and open to the public and features some great live music. The Cactus Blossoms, a Turf Club staple will bring their timeless, twangy classic country sound. Also playing is Tramps Like Us, Minneapolis’ very own Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, playing all of the Boss’ best hits. It’s a night to celebrate Jon and and Katie and you are all invited. -Danielle Morris

Set in the Chowgirls Parlor, Locavore Serenade builds on the concept of MTV Unplugged: guests and performers eat a meal made from local and organic ingredients while enjoying music from a special guest. This time around, music will be provided by Adam Levy of the Honey Dogs, who will also be the inspiration for the evenings meal -– matzo ball soup, brisket, and potato latkes! The Current’s Dave Campbell is also slated to make an appearence. Only 40 seats will be sold, so get your tickets early! –Maggie LaMaack

Anyone who’s ever heard David Sedaris uniquely sardonic and resonantly nasal voice on This American Life or read one of his poignant yet hilarious books of essays knows that he’s one of the most original voices working in humor today. Alternately blase and incisive, biting yet highly sensitive Sedaris returns annually to Hennepin Theatre Trust’s State Theatre to share his brilliant and entertaining social critiques. This Sunday, Sedaris will read from his new book, Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, a collection of essays that mines the author’s seemingly bottomless well of appalling childhood memories. And if you want to get up close and personal, Sedaris will be participating in a book signing immediately after his talk. -Anthony Enright